The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-09
Gke Qatelliqetller
W. VA. sEprEhnEHo 0. 1881
I'll, President vuuu,eth Himself. 4

World interview, takes great creditior inc
change he has wrought in tho manner OF
getting rid Of Offensive pazslsans" to
make way for asreeablo pa,sisans Of his
own political communion. lie recalln tho
inundation Of the White House by eager
men seeking office for themsslvea and
their friends, and he tells the country
what passed on thoae occasions.
There was demand for the removal
Of Republicans because they were Repub'
leans, and the President imputes 1t to
himself as Ginning virtue that he aaid'
"That will no. do. You mat bring me
proof Of their unl.neea es public officers"
Thisis the truth, but not the whole truth
nor does 1t reveal the spirit Of thoao con-
tlden,lal conferences overthe apportion'
ment Of the apoils Of victory.
Tho Preaident's Iebukc was 60 admins.
tered ss to DO under0tood in q Pickwtck-
ian sense, and, being 80 understood, there
vero Democrats manly enough to reply
that IL a Democratic victory meant that
Democratic we're not TO have the offices un-
less they trumped up charges to give the
Administration a prctext, they wanted no
moro Of that kind Of victory, and the Re-
publicars might etey in till the crack Of
doom.
Tho letter Of Pcstmestes.Geneyal Villas
Of April Goth, 1885, a confidential commun-
icstiou to Representatives in Con2reaet
states in terms the policy determined up
On By the Administration, In advising
congressman how to 20 about chopping
off hesds he declared that no was "cor-
recsly representing tho Presidents Wishes
and purposes il earnestly collecting that
every step be taken" according to in
atrus,ions. Tho Possmaster-General said
he was impatient to- assist cur people IN
acquiring relief, to which they are justly
entitled, from partisan poHtmastess." He
had had conference with tho Virginia
delegation and hoped to begin the work Of
reform in that State within week. Then
he deaired to turn his attention to:Ohio,
ia order clear the decks for action in the
election then approaching in that Stale.
With the cooperation Of hia party
friends he though! that within tho month
OF May he could ''gsye substantial relief
tina. will take away the importantly and
diecpntent'' existing in the Democratic
party by rcason Of The failure to be in
yited into the promised land. And what
was this Administration plan for inaugu-
rating the reform work Of turning out Re-
publicsns to put in Demccrats2 In the
words Of tho Postmaster.General, 1t was
"to pick out the most obnoxious and Of
fersive partissns in each county to the
number Ct sixth to quarter Of all"
He was careful to zay that the job was
10 be made easy. He would "reqrire no
more proof OF craftsmanship in these &c.
lec.iors chan the affirmation Of knowledge
on tho part o. The Representative or sens.
Tor" iha.-well, that the postmaster was
On Offensive partisan" Thaae operations
Of the reform guillotina were not confined
to Virginia and Ohio, but were so general
that By tbs time Mr.. Cleveland had been
in Office one year no less than s,6S5 fourth
elias. possuaa.oys had fallen "a "most
obnoxious and offensive. partlasns." In
Ohio S7S we're made to walk the plank;
in Virginia SIG; in Wes. Virginia 1888.
The Wheeling postmaster, with q record
admitted to DO second to none in the Ser
vice, was removed on charges which to
this day no has not beeu permitted to see
and which no man in this community will
confess that no had any part in preparing.
The removal Was in every case made be-
cause tho incumbent was Republican,
and to stake away the importantly and
discomfort" in the Democratic psrty.
Lees than year ago United States Dis.
trict Attorneys benton, OF Missouri, and
Stone, Of Pennsylvania, were suspended
for making polltica! speeches. When
Benton complained and all Democratic
Missouri bzistled, tho President wrote to
Benton that his apee ch-making "aeemed 10
me case Of fragrant, defiant neglect Of
official duty and propriety." Yet the
President reinsta!cd Benton and refused
to reinatate Stone, though Stone had made
but two speeches and Benton had, accord
ing to the President, spoken "dsily for
quite long period and not infrequently
twice day."
II tho President is satisfied with his
record in this ressrd he is much easier 10
please than those Of his 'countrymen who
have followed tho facts and noted the